Bowdoin Student Government saw four tight races in its Fall election, which ended Wednesday.
The newly-elected senior class president, junior class president, first-year class president, and sophomore class treasurer, won by less than ten votes. Vice President of Student Government Affairs DeRay McKesson '07 called the results the closest in recent history.
McKesson attributed the tight races to this year's "36-hour election." In previous years, the online elections polls have been open for 12 hours, but this year Student Government kept the polls open from 8:00 a.m. Tuesday until 8:00 p.m. Wednesday.
McKesson, who monitored the election results throughout Tuesday and Wednesday, described this year's race as a "roller coaster."
"Imagine a race coming down to eight votes," said McKesson. "That's amazing."
BSG had trouble attracting juniors to run for class offices. Candidates running for any office must submit petitions in order to have their names placed on the ballot, but no juniors submitted petitions by the BSG's deadline. According to McKesson, this is unheard of BSG reopened deadlines and tried to encourage juniors to run for office.
"We sent out emails to the junior class explaining that no one was running," said McKessen. "It was frustrating."
David Friedlander, the newly-elected junior class president, said he recognizes the challenges that his class will face this year.
"Junior year is a busy year for people," said Friedlander. "People are trying to figure out a major, if you're pre-med, you are looking at grad schools and studying for tests."
Approximately half the class will study off-campus at least one semester. Friedlander thinks that this will affect the number of juniors involved in BSG activities this year.
"We won't see the same turnout and involvement," he said.
Incumbent Peter Hastings '05 won the election for senior class president. Hastings noted that there are many advantages to returning as president.
"The first year [you are elected] you are thrown in and the second year you know a bit more, but by the third year you know who to contact and what's expected," said Hastings. "I can pick up where we left off."
The race for senior class president came down to eight votes. Hastings said he sees this as a testament to student government.
Andrew Fried '08, who won the first-year election for the presidency, said he is excited to get started.
"I'm looking forward to talking to everyone [in the class of '08]," said Fried. "Everybody has something to offer."
Fried hopes that at the Class of 2008's first meeting, he and the other officers will develop ideas to put its approximately $13,000 budget to good use.
McKesson will serve this year not only as vice president of student government affairs, but also as president of the sophomore class. He hopes to bring back events like Friday Movie Nights, which allowed class members to see movies for four dollars and have transportation to and from the cinema.
McKesson also hopes to initiate an effort to help first-year officers "learn the ropes" of student government.
Fried will shadow McKesson at the next meeting to get a better understanding for how the BSG works.